A Small Break

Anna flew to Las Vegas on an open return ticket yesterday to help her mom and she really wants to see Matt one more time before he dies. She is going to stay through to the end, help with the burial arrangements and try to bring her mom home with her. She is also going to try to make sense of her financial situation.

I have huge respect for her for stepping in. It is going to be very difficult.

There is a major streak of stubbornness in Michael's family including all the children and grandchildren. It can be good but it can also be a road block when they stick their feet in the sand and refuse to move forward. We, who married into it, can only shake our heads. For example, my son would rather starve to death and be broke than to work for a band he doesn't like personally. It's not about their music but it is about whether they are good humans. I am worried that this streak will allow Mary to stay in Las Vegas, huddled alone, unable to go anywhere as she doesn't drive and just wait for death to come visiting her. She will be 80-years old this year but she is in great shape. I so hope she allows herself to try to stay with Anna for a bit.

It has been a waiting game here. Michael will talk with Anna today to get her input on everything but the cell phones are never out of our reach.

So with all that has been happening, we had to go to a surprise 70th birthday party of one of Michael's closest friends. I also adore his wife. We were the only non-family invited. Knowing this was coming, Michael had not mentioned Matt to his friend until he sees him today. He did not want to put a pall onto his celebration of life. We got dress up and went. It felt very weird to smile and laugh. It was a four hours escape for us. A break. Our phones where on our bodies so we would feel the vibrations of incoming calls.

It is a gloomy, rainy, cold Sunday which parallels how we are feeling this morning.